Hi all,I am living in Bangkok and currently trying to decide whether to do a PGCE online or a masters. I work at a private Thai school and ultimately I want to work in an International school but I dont want to go home to do a PGCE. Ive looked into one with Nottingham University and Sunderland University online. Has anyone comepleted either of these? Advice and info on both would be appreciated. Also, if anyone knows whether the International schools here accept an online PGCE? My other option would be completing a masters but would this help me either?Any info at all would be appreciated.Thanks.

The PGCE from those two Uni's is referred to as a PGCE(i) for International?

Those do not award QTS in the UK and it is therefore not a qualification that will get you into a 'true-blue' International.

Those internationals generally require QTS and completion of the NQT year. Minimum of 2 years UK curriculum experience.

Hi, thanks for your reply. The course with Nottingham is known as the PGCEi but I'm not sure about the Sunderland one. I've heard stories about people doing these courses and working in international schools here so I was wondering if anyone reading this has completed one of the above and has some info on it.

Like I said, doing a Masters is also a choice so I would like to hear from someone who has completed a Masters in Education or something similar to find out about their experiences.

I'm confused about what to do!

An Aussie work colleague of mine has just enrolled on a Masters in Education (Primary) through an accredited Aussie uni.

Distance/Online learning.

I can make further enquiries if you like?

Hi, thanks for your reply. The course with Nottingham is known as the PGCEi but I'm not sure about the Sunderland one. I've heard stories about people doing these courses and working in international schools here so I was wondering if anyone reading this has completed one of the above and has some info on it.

Like I said, doing a Masters is also a choice so I would like to hear from someone who has completed a Masters in Education or something similar to find out about their experiences.

I'm confused about what to do!

I did a masters online from the US but when finished with the coursework had to go back to the states and sit 3 tests as well as student teach for 4 months (unpaid).

It was a lot of work but it is a genuine credential and will be taken seriously by any international school.

Does anyone have any experience of the University of Southern Queensland programme?

http://www.usq.edu.au/handbook/2012/edu/PGCE.html#programsummary

Does anyone have any experience of the University of Southern Queensland programme?

http://www.usq.edu.a...#programsummary

Are you Australian or a Brit? If not Australian you will need to pay international student fees. I'm Aussie and did a Grad Dip Ed through UNE in NSW (2004-08 part time). I was living in BKK at the time, and did my two months prac in my current school - your Principal fills in two "Principals Reports" to report on your teaching skills. Hence you don't need to teach back in an Aussie school, though I think that would look better to potential employers if you can. But for some of us, like me, it wasn't practical.

The main restriction is that you need to be teaching in your subject area - if you do the maths specialisation, you need to be teaching maths at the appropriate level. Luckily for me it worked out fine. Also you need enough credits from your undergrad to qualify you for your chosen teaching specialisation. Also, for me there were two mandatory residential schools, so needed to return to OZ to do them.

I'm not sure if USQ has the same setup. I should say that wile qualified to teach in NSW, the course seems not to have helped me get an interview ant an international school here - could have been my lousy applications tough

I think for the top schools they will still want overseas experience in a western school.

Thanks for the reply Culicine.. I'm a Brit. To me it just seems that the USQ course looks to have some exciting content. The British uni.s need to market their s*** better tbh.. I've been reading around this topic on different sites for a while, and for me as a 10 year, unqualified teacher, prospects aren't looking so great right now.